Monday, October 13, 2014

"The Devil Incarnate" Is a Weak Addition to the Possession and "Found Footage" Horror Sub-Genres

I should’ve known as soon as the POV footage appeared on my TV what I was in store for after putting “The Devil Incarnate” into my DVD player. As if the cover of a baby with horns adorned with a logo featuring an upside-down cross in place of the “t” wasn’t enough of a warning. I love a good possession or religious thriller so I wanted to give it a chance. I’ll need to remember to listen to my instincts next time.

Holly (Graci Carli) and Trevor Davidson (Rod Luzzi) are newlyweds on a road trip for their honeymoon. After stopping to have their palms read, Holly begins acting strangely. The announcement that she's pregnant further sets off a chain reaction of bizarre behavior and strange occurrences. Is she suffering from mood swings because of the pregnancy or is there something more sinister at work?

The only thing good I have to say about “The Devil Incarnate” is that its actors all come across as genuine in their roles. They give the audience no indication that they didn’t take the movie seriously during production. It’s a testament to each of them and their individual skills. I felt this needed to be recognized.

No sort of Biblical theology is explored in “The Devil Incarnate.” There are two possible “messages” the movie might be trying to convey to viewers. One is that we shouldn’t get involved in the occult. The other is that the sins of our ancestors will affect us. Unfortunately, it doesn’t award us any hope that we can break such a generational curse.

“The Devil Incarnate” is not rated, but would hold an “R” if it were. While there’s no nudity, it contains enough adult situations and content to push it beyond “PG-13.” It also includes frightening images and profanity.

Many times an anemic independent project like “The Devil Incarnate” can gain some sympathy with me if I can see the sort of hard work and passion filmmakers poured into its creation. A “Making of” featurette or “Behind the Scenes” documentary gives a reviewer like myself a chance to experience the blood, sweat, and tears everyone involved in the production put into it. Unfortunately, the DVD contains no special features to help redeem it in my eyes.

“The Devil Incarnate” is the sort of horror film we really don’t need any more of. Playing like an unholy mash-up of “Drag Me to Hell,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” and “The Devil Inside,” it’s an unnecessary addition to the demon possession and "found footage” genres that’ve been overdone lately. There’s not a shred of originality to be found in its 76-minute running time.